The Abbot of Kosljun Monastery Considers the Cyclopean Lamb
He suppresses a shudder as he summons
the brothers from the library; shows
how extensive are notes they will take
of the specimen the farmers brought
to the island that morning, their faces pale
as they disembarked, their hands a constant
flutter of Signs of the Cross as something
bleated under a burlap sack.
His voice is an exemplary sermon
as he says there is nothing in this that cannot
be grasped by the Church; that the Galileo
days are behind them now, and this
will make an excellent contribution
to the Abbey’s knowledge. He sends them away.
He thinks of the words of St. Francis – that all
our brother and sister creatures give praise
to the glory of God in creation. He kneels,
adjusts his glasses, prepares to say so
now, eye to singular
eye.
Tim Kiely is a criminal barrister and writer based in East London. He is three poetry pamphlets including ‘Hymn to the Smoke’ and ‘No Other Life’. Buy his work at timkielybooks.bigcartel.com. Visit his WordPress at timkielypoetry.wordpress.com.